The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-27

him, Just as the floor gave way, and
Fanny fell through.
Ellis was unhurt, though very i'll
for a long time, but when Fanny was
taken out. her face was horribly
burned, her eyes entirely DESTROYED,
and she had some internal injuries
that are slowly draining her life away.
But Ellis never seems to see the mask
that replaces Fanny's beauty He is
as devoted to her as when he first
loved her, and he would marry her to-
morrow if she would consent"
And she?" Amy asked.
''She will not marry him. / cannot
tell you much about it, Amy. for the
Sargeants do not talk of their affairs
Mother is very intimate with Mrs.
Sergeant, and has helped Fanny in
some of her baa- attacks, so l know
more than most folks about them
The gong! What are you going to
wear at dinner?"
She fitted away. and Amy, believ-
ing herself alone, let the sob she had
been strangling have its way, and
wept bitterly for some moments.
Then she, too, went to her room.
Presently the door of the darkened
room opened softly, and low voice
asked:
asleep, FannyP" Followed in
stantly by: Crying. Fanny? What
troubles youP" And gentle hands lift
ed the girls head to resting place on
Ellis Sargeant's bosom, while strong
arms Graded the slight trembling
figure. What is it, darling?' he
asked tenderly. is the pain worse?"
mo. i Ellis, why has no one
ever told me my blindness was not the
only injury that fell upon my face?
You have been so true to me. my love
my dear love-but | did not know !
was an object of horror and disgust"
You! Who has dared to tell you
that?"
mo one has told me. | might have
guessed-I might have known-what
all these scars and seams looked like;
but | did not think of that. Ellis, do
not kiss me. Do not hold me in your
arms. You are free from all vows to
me. told you l would not burden
your life with a blind wife. but-but-
| did not think there might be other
girls as pretty as | was once, who"
''Hush!' he interrupted, his voice
stern in the effort he made to keep it
steady '.Hush! You insult me! You
are nv promised wife. | can no more
be unfaithful to you than if we had
exchanged the vows we once hoped to
speak at Gods altar. You are mine,
Fanny
But you are not mine, 1t must
| not, shall not be, Ellis. Your life
shall not be wasted an hour longer in
this mockery of an engagement. You
have been my dear brother only, Ellis,
since lost my eyes; give me a sis
ter's love, too, give your mother a
| daughter"
s.She has one" was the quiet reply
| ''Do not speak of this again, Fanny.
| 1t pains me more than | can tell you;"
and he put her back gently as his
| mother entered the room, dressed for
| dinner.
But he missed Amy's bright face at
| the table, and wondered, when he saw
| her late in the afternoon, at the pallor
of her cheeks, and a wistful tender
ness in her eyes.
What did she guess, he wondered,
| and how had Fanny learned the strug-
| gle he was enduring? Not for one
| instant had his loyalty wavered, not
one thought of deserting the woman
| who had saved his life at such a fear
| full price had ever crossed his mind /;
but there was strange pain in meet
ing Amy, and a fierce jealousy would
| seize him when other men paid her
attentions.
| She was surprised that evening by a
request from Mrs. Sergeant to spend
| an hour in Fanny's room. What ques-
| tions Margaret had been brought to
answer Fanny alone knew, but her
heart told her during the evening,
when Ellis and Amy devoted them
| selves to her service, the secret those
two were sure was securely hidden.
They did not guess why she called
SO often on Amy to sit with her, TO
read with her, to sing to, her, nor why
she tried so hard to win the love of the
| girl who was only too ready to meet
| any advance, her heart full of woman
| ly compassion and tenderness.
Very rapidly she faded away, the
mountain air they had hoped would
aid her seeming only to hasten the
course of her illness.
Yet she would not consent to be
taken home, and she clung to Amy,
who was her willing attendant at all
hours.
She little guessed how the blind cir
probed her heart, how fully she learned
its carefully-treasured secret. If Ellis
was wiser, he was silent, too.
1t was early in the autumn, and
Mrs. Moore was fretting to take hel
babies back to town, but yielding tC
Amy's plea of zone week more" wher
:. Fanny Restyne died.
All she loved was beside her wher
the end came. Her head pillowed OF
Mrs. Sargeant's breast, Ellis holding
her hand, Margaret sobbing at th'
foot of the bed, she whispered word
of love and farewell
ellis" she said, as the falling
breath came fainter and fainter, q
know you will always love me, but th'
grave loosens all ties, and you hay'
been faithful till death.
And when, a year later, Ellis Sar
geant asked Amy to be his wife, ther
was no disloyalty to the dead girl il
his heart, nor did Amy feel jealou
that his first love, his lifelong graft
tude, were given to the blind dis
figured girl lying quietly at rest be
| moo fh fha uiolats